Help with booking train
 

I am trying to book a train from Seville to Madrid with an overnight stop in Cordoba on the way. What is the best way to book this? Also, this might be our only train ride but there is a chance we might do day trips from Madrid to Toledo and Madrid to Segovia. Also, a possibility to do a trip from Barcelona to Montserrat. Can someone explain the different ways of buying tickets, we are very confused on the Renfe website.

Can someone explain the different ways of buying tickets, we are very confused on the Renfe website.>

www.seat61.com will do this - gives alterantive booking sites too if renfe.com balks as many novice encountrers report. For general info on trains check also www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Barcelona to Montserrat should be bought on day of travel-suburban train -no discounts for buying in advance- ditto Madrid to Segovia; Madrid to Toledo involves AVE trains so may have a small discount but again nothing to need to pre-book.

You can purchase your rail tickets at Petrabax (http://petrabax.com/renfe/). You will have to buy two separate tickets, Sevilla-Córdoba and Córdoba-Madrid. You can also purchase your tickets to Toledo and Segovia ahead of time (round-trip).

Bus tickets/tours from Barcelona to Montserrat are available at Catalunya Bus Turistic (www.catalunyabusturistic.com/2013/index.php/en/).

You can also book a taxi to Montserrat (http://www.booktaxibcn.com/how-to-go...-to-montserrat).

i found that Renfe works well only if you pay via PayPal.

Also, tickets usually go on sale approximately 62 days in advance--at least according to some of what I read. I'm not sure when your trip is in June, but the tickets may not be available yet. When we bought ours, I started looking with about 70 days to go if memory serves to get a good deal on our Madrid to Sevilla tickets. I found, however, that certain AVE routes aren't typically discounted (Sevilla to Cordoba being one), so we waited to purchase them at the station so that we retained some flexibility as to time.

I had no trouble using renfe.com but I was using a credit card with chip and signature/PIN.

We would much prefer to NOT book in advance unless we have to to make sure we have a seat or if we are going to pay a lot more waiting until the day before or the day of. Do these ever sell out? Sounds like I only need to concern myself with a ticket from Seville to Cordoba and a ticket from Cordoba to Madrid.

Thank you for all of the great info. Anyone have any advice on apartment companies in Madrid or the best location to stay in Madrid? Quiet and centrally located?

1st class would rarely sell out and as there are hourly trains unlikely in 2nd class for the whole day - but you will pay considerably more for that for long-distance trains- Seville to Cordoba also has regional trains I believe that would be available.

The early morning and late afternoon Madrid-Toledo trains do sell out, so you may not pay much more if waiting until the last minute, but you may not be able to travel on the train you want.

In general, Tourist class sells out before Preferene, but as noted, there is a decent saving on AVE and AVANT trains booked ahead.

Only the Madrid Cercanías (commuter trains) have open seating. Everything else is reserved seating only (www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/cercanias/madrid/).